Art Galleries For The Connoisseur

There are apples and there are apples. While almost every city in the world lays claim to a great art gallery, there are very few that are globally recognized and famous. People, art lovers, historians and the commoners all flock to these art galleries travelling all across the world just to see some of the master pieces that these galleries house.

Probably the most famous art gallery in the entire world is the Louvre, located in Paris, France. The building itself is a museum, but it's more widely known as being home to many stunning paintings. The most famous of all is da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Due to theft, and thankfully being returned, security is extremely high. You will find other paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, as well as other world class painters.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is a renowned location for beautiful art masterpieces. This museum has an impressive assortment of American paintings. In addition to these, it also has paintings and statues by famous artists such as Botticelli, Raphael, and El Greco. This makes it a global museum.

London has an amazing gallery known as The National Gallery. This gallery boasts of some of the finest examples of European art, including paintings by Raphael, Manet, Leonardo Da Vinci, Renoir, and Monet. This gallery has a very large number of paintings and some of the most famous ones are: Sunflowers, by Vincent van Gogh, The Virgin of the Rocks, by Leonardo Da Vinci, and Venus and Mars, by Sandro Botticelli.

While most art galleries cater to the works of the 'greats', in recent times many galleries have started focusing on the contemporary arts of the twentieth century. Amongst the most famous contemporary art galleries and museums in the world is 'The George Pompidou Center' in Paris. The building that house the George Pompidou Center itself is also totally contemporary with all the ducts and piping on the outside.

Visiting contemporary art galleries and museums is a fascinating experience as they walk you through the past few decades and highlight the changes in style and taste. These museums and galleries feature not only paintings, drawings, and prints, but also exhibit furniture, sound, light, and even music. This truly illustrates the passage of time.

Most of the major European cities are home to at least a national and a contemporary gallery. Usually there are also private galleries. Any time you visit a major metropolitan area, be sure to include the galleries in your itinerary. It's a wonderful way to learn about a country and its cultures. History and its changes are reflected in the art on display.

If you are interested in purchasing some art, the above mentioned art galleries won't sell you any of their master pieces. Typically you will need to go to a private art gallery to buy good art. You may not find Renoirs or Van Gogh's, but there is plenty of beautiful art that you can bring home. Art houses like Christie's often hold art auctions that feature some stunning pieces that you can bid on.

Art is a beautiful part of our history and any visit to an art gallery, be it the Louvre or your local gallery, is a journey back through time and into the creative master minds that help shape our culture.